


your number one with a bullet (a loaded god complex, cock it and pull it)

by bloodredcherries



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 01:24:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18297512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodredcherries/pseuds/bloodredcherries
Summary: “Come on, Alice. You can trust me.”How many times had Hal told her those words?“How can I trust you when all you do is lie to me?”





	your number one with a bullet (a loaded god complex, cock it and pull it)

“What are we doing here, Elizabeth?” Alice demanded, not entirely amused by the fact that Betty had blindfolded her yet  _ again _ and taken her to somewhere completely odious. “I take those comments about the bunker back,” she said. “It does not smell as if a dead body was stored there, combined with the scent of teenage fornication. It does  _ not _ need to be aired out before I use it.” 

 

“I brought you here because you said that part of the reason you went to the farm was because you needed closure,” Betty said, her tone firm. “You said that you wanted to know what it would take for you to be healed. You wanted to do  _ whatever _ it took, didn’t you?” 

 

“You’re turning my own words against me!” Alice exclaimed. “I didn’t mean that I wanted to go to this hellhole and face the man who ruined my life! If the farm couldn’t heal me, what in God’s name makes you think your own father could?” 

 

“At least Dad never drugged you and made you think you were caring for your dead newborn son,” Betty muttered. “Don’t you find it suspicious that Edgar looks like he could be Dad’s younger brother?”   
  


“Why would I find that suspicious, Elizabeth? Your father happens to be blond, and so does Edgar. Your evidence is circumstantial, at best.” 

 

“Remind me again, whose idea the farm originally was?” Betty’s tone was tired. Alice glanced briefly at her. “Think, Mom.”

 

“The light is hurting my eyes,” she muttered. “Polly, obviously. Don’t you remember, after your father got arrested? She came to visit us and convinced me to check the farm out.” 

 

“That’s because you’re detoxing,” she said. “And it  _ wasn’t _ Polly,” she added. “Who was Polly planning on meeting that day you sent her to the Sisters?” 

 

Alice forced herself to ponder Elizabeth’s line of questioning, though she found it somewhat grating on her that Betty had not only been right about the drugs (Alice was trying hard not to think of the baby that she’d lost  _ again  _ as the result of being so easily hoodwinked, though she was not being very successful), she was equally annoyed about the fact that she was going to be staying with Elizabeth in a  _ bunker _ that Archie Andrews was airing out for them (she stood by her comments on the state of her temporary accommodations) and the fact that she had dragged her to see Harold would have normally sent Alice over the edge entirely, but, in light of the dumpster fire that her life had become, she was tolerating her decisions. 

 

Something clicked in Alice’s foggy memory, and she drew in a sharp breath. 

 

“Who, Mom?” Betty prodded. 

 

“That horrible boy,” she breathed. 

 

“And how did you find out about Polly’s pregnancy?” 

 

“Your father told me,” she said, after a moment. “He heard from...Clifford Blossom.” 

 

“Just about the pregnancy? Or about Polly and Jason’s little getaway?” 

 

“About the pregnancy, of course,” she recalled. “And...possibly...the other thing.”

 

Betty raised her brows. “Only possibly, Mom?” 

 

“I didn’t speak to him myself,” she explained. “Clifford and your father, they associated with each other alone. I didn’t ever speak to him. The Blossoms, they thought that speaking to me was improper. Penelope less so,” she allowed. “It’s possible that when your father came in ranting and raving about Polly being pregnant with a child of Blossom blood, he made mention of a farm, but I discounted it as insanity at the time.” Alice pursed her lips. “I was broken when your sister came back,” she whispered. “I was all alone. I had no one. I felt like I had no one. You were there for me but you had your own issues, Elizabeth. I didn’t want to add mine on to yours. The thought of escaping my demons through the farm, it was a relief, honestly. And then when Charles showed up --  I know that he wasn’t real, Elizabeth -- it felt that I had my baby back. I thought maybe FP and I could have a second chance with him. Not that that matters now. Thank God he’s not real. FP’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with me.”

 

“I don’t think that’s true, Mom.” 

 

“Really?” Alice scoffed. “Don’t lie to me, Elizabeth. I know you’re staying with them, while he plays the role of the dutiful husband.” 

 

“If FP is playing that role, he’s really not doing a good job,” she heard Betty say under her breath. “I thought that you and Mr. Jones were friends, Mom. Regardless of any...dalliances that you might be having. I’m sure that he would be willing to talk to you about Charles.”

 

“Don’t be foolish, Elizabeth. He’s certainly never bothered to ask me.” 

 

“Probably because talking about things like that is hard for him,” Betty said, in what Alice felt was a rather pandering tone. She glared at her. “What? I’m just saying that Mr. Jones has a history of coping in ways that aren’t very healthy for him, when he bothers to cope at all. What a coincidence. That’s another thing the two of you can talk about. Whether drinking yourself to death or joining a cult is a good way to recover from losses that normal people use therapy for.” 

 

“If I agree to speak with FP, do I get out of speaking to your father?” 

 

“Nice try, Mom.” 

  
  


***

  
  


In truth, Alice was terrified of being in the same room as Hal. He had tried to murder her, after all. Despite her time at the farm, she still remembered every intimate detail. Still, the fact that Elizabeth had agreed to stay with her, and was in fact deigning to let her hold her hand, and the fact that Harold was unable to physically touch her, and the fact that in spite of all of the hideous things she had done, she held (somewhat) of an upper hand here. 

 

At the very least, she wasn’t the one who was in jail for a string of murders. 

 

“Alice? This is a pleasant surprise.”

 

“Oh, give it up, Harold,” she snapped. “I don’t have time for your falsified joy of seeing me. I know perfectly well that you were expecting Penelope, who clearly lacks taste, since she’s willing to spread her legs for you.”

 

“What are you doing here? Betty, why would you ruin our visits by bringing your mother?” 

 

“Mom is here because she has some questions to ask you,” Betty said, her tone attempting diplomatic. “Isn’t that right, Mom?”

 

“I’m here because i wanted to tell you that we got a divorce,” Alice said, the words sounding foreign as they left her mouth. “I’m tired of being expected to get over what you did to me, what happened to me as a result of 25 years of being married to you. I wanted to let you know that I signed the divorce papers you drew up after you received your inheritance, and I submitted them to my attorney. That’s how I was able to sell our house. And that’s why you haven’t had your little visits from Penelope lately.” 

 

“Why would you do that?” Hal demanded. “What are you, crazy?” 

 

“Who cares if I am anymore?” Alice demanded. “I am so tired of you trying to justify everything you’ve done because you think that I’m crazy for not liking how you act. Did you know that normal people don’t make their girlfriends give up their children and force them to marry them the day they come home from their ‘juvenile detention’? Most people’s parents don’t encourage that sort of behavior in their children, either. But, yours did. I was scared, Hal. I had no one. And you took advantage of me.” 

 

“There was nothing to take advantage of, Alice. You were already damaged goods.”

 

“I was a  _ child _ that was scared and alone. You told me that you were going to save me. You lied.”   
  


“Mom,” Betty hissed. “What about the questions?”

 

“I don’t see the point in asking your father anything, Elizabeth. Why would I even bother?” 

 

“Come on, Alice. You can trust me.” 

 

How many times had Hal told her those words? Too many to count. How many times had he meant them? Approximately zero. Alice felt herself fill with white hot rage, and she clenched her hands into fists. She huffed angrily, like she was a bull.

 

“How can I trust you when all you do is lie to me?” 

 

“Mom!”

 

“What? He’s a goddamn liar, Elizabeth. He has never, ever, told me the truth.” She shook her head. “I don’t need to hear his answers, anyways. I can’t put you through  _ this _ being your only choice of parent.” She drew in a deep breath. “I have nothing further to say to you,” she informed Harold. “I am  _ done _ playing anyone’s damn victim.” 

 

“Alice--”

 

“Elizabeth, we are leaving!” Alice hissed. “And if you think I am letting you spend time with your father again--” 

 

Alice decided that the threat in her sentence was implied, and she turned on her heels and stalked out of the room, Betty following in her wake. 

 

“Mom--”

 

“I can’t talk about this now,” she hissed. “When we get back to the car, Elizabeth.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“FP.”

 

“Alice...Betty…” 

 

“Before I tell you this,” Alice said, her tone impressively measured, at least in her mind. Judging by the looks that FP and Betty were exchanging, there was the chance it was less so in reality. “I want you to tell me the truth. Is Elizabeth safe in your home?   
  


“I’m not going to let anything happen to her, Alice,” he said. “Are you...are you feeling alright?” 

 

“I made a mistake,” she blurted out, unable to stop herself. “These pills I’ve been taking, they’re not what I thought they were.”

 

“What did you think they were?”

 

“I thought they were herbal supplements! I didn’t know that they were hallucinogens! I need to know if there’s a place that I could go -- a clinic, a rehab, something that means that Elizabeth doesn’t have to watch me dry out in that bunker.” She cleared her throat. “Not that I want you to stop Archibald from cleaning that, Elizabeth. It smells so truly awful in there.” 

 

“What were you hallucinating?” FP asked. “Forget it. You don’t have to tell me. I shouldn’t have asked. It was out of line.” 

 

“Actually, Mr. Jones, she does have to tell you,” Betty interjected. “The two of you really do need to talk.” 

 

“What is it, Al?” 

 

“I’m going to go,” Betty said, and Alice heard her mutter under her breath, “Lord knows JB won’t get help from anyone else with her homework.” 

 

“What was that?” FP asked her.

 

Betty smiled sweetly at him. Alice was impressed. “Nothing, Mr. Jones. I’m only leaving because I know my mother doesn’t want me to hear her expressing weaknesses.” 

 

Before Alice could let out a retort, Betty slipped out the door. 

 

“The baby,” she admitted, after a moment. “Whatever those are...they made me think that he was there. That I had a second chance with him. That  _ we _ had a second chance with him. I never told you because I didn’t feel that was when I wasn’t taking them, or drinking the teas.” 

 

“Al…”

 

“It’s stupid,” she told him. “I just--it seemed so real.” She shook her head. “Of course, what we had seemed real, and that meant nothing either. At least not to you.” 

 

“It meant something to me, Alice,” he said. “Just because we ended things doesn’t mean that I don’t have feelings for you. I just--I had to try to get my family back together,” he said. “I didn’t mean to imply that we weren’t a family -- that Charles didn’t exist. I just don’t trust Gladys, and I don’t want her to leave town with Jellybean again. I would have explained that to you if you had let me. She was having JB work at her chop shop with her. JB is two years behind in school! She wouldn’t have even been enrolled in school had your daughter not noticed. I just need some time, Alice. To try to make things right. For everyone.” 

 

“Will you take care of Betty? While I’m drying out?” 

 

“Yeah, Al, of course I will.” 

 

“Will you bring her to visit me? I wouldn’t ask, but I don’t want her going alone. I’ve failed her enough.” 

 

“Yeah, Alice,” he whispered. “I’ll bring her.” 


End file.
